Perfect Chemistry Read Online Free Page B

to up your salary enough to guarantee you never leave us.” He flashed her a dazzling smile.
    It took a moment for the stars to stop spinning in her head. Good grief. The man was absolutely detrimental to her health. Not to mention her concentration. It took several seconds for his statement to penetrate her brain fog. “Oh, that’s awesome.” And it was. Almost as awesome as if he’d meant they’d be taking care of her in ways that’d end in an orgasm. But a raise was certainly better than a sharp stick in the eyeball. “Do you have any idea how much it will be?”
    “Well, seeing how I’m half of the party giving it, I might have an inkling,” he teased.
    “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
    “Gotta leave something for the actual review. Otherwise it’s going to get boring for you just sitting there staring at us.”
    Heh. Little did he know she already had a Masters in staring at them. Half an hour in their office would be a breeze.
    Devlin propped his heel on the toe of his loafers and took a swig of water from his mug. Even the way his throat muscles worked was ridiculously sexy. Yeah, she definitely needed to get laid if watching a man drink ended up soaking her panties through.
    He blotted his mouth with his shirt cuff. “Any big plans for the evening?”
    Other than fucking you and Leo out of my system with the first guy I find tonight? “No, not really. Meeting up with some friends later. That’s about it.”
    He looked at her for a long moment, leaving her with the certainty that he wanted to say something. Instead he cracked another smile and pushed away from her desk. “Enjoy your night then.”
    She watched him stride in the direction of his office, disappointment wedged against her sternum. Getting on with her life and putting a stop to these useless fantasies was absolutely the smartest thing she could do. It wouldn’t be easy. But she had no choice.
    Resigning herself to that bit of sage advice, she snagged her purse and trudged to the elevator.
     
    The Blue Goose was jammed to the gills. Not surprising. The place always became a meat locker by the time Thursday rolled around. At least the band wasn’t playing tonight. Conversation would be impossible. She wiggled her way through the crowd, adroitly avoiding the gropes and pinches bee-lining for her butt. Wiping her brow, she slid in to the booth where Jane and Marissa were parked. “Sorry I’m late.”
    Jane scooped a pretzel from the bowl in the middle of the table. “You should be. You missed the Rhinestone Cowboy.”
    “Aw, damn it.” The dude was a regular at the bars and nightclubs along Commerce Avenue. He practically qualified as a landmark. Jane—being Jane—had boogied with him on the dance floor a time or two. Sidney always declined out of fear of being permanently blinded by all that bling under the strobe lights. Sighing, she snatched a pretzel and munched on it dejectedly.
    Marissa rubbed Sidney’s shoulder soothingly. “I’m sure he’ll be back.”
    “Who?”
    “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
    Sidney flicked her wrist at Marissa. “That’s not why I’m bummed.” Her admission immediately gained her friends’ undivided attention and concern.
    “What happened?” Jane demanded.
    Their obviously harried waitress appeared to take their drink orders. The moment the girl trotted off, Sidney filled Jane and Marissa in on her endless string of boneheaded blunders since arriving at work that morning.
    “They are giving you a raise,” Marissa reassured her. “With that being the case, the situation can’t be as bad as you think it is.”
    “Maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact that I still feel like an idiot.”
    “Y’all are overlooking the most important detail here,” Jane chimed in.
    “And what pray tell is that?” Sidney snuck another pretzel. At least it wasn’t stick shaped. She didn’t need the kind of trouble that would bring.
    “Hot Leo apparently squeezes one off in his office now and